Moving north seems like a logical option

The oft-used cliché states that “time flies when you are having fun”. But millions of South Africans might agree that the opposite is true, after the turbulent times we have all been through in the last few months.

Today marks Day 71 of the national lockdown and still there are very few signs of when we could see our lives returning to normal again, if ever.

But time stands still for nobody, and though it seems to have dragged on forever, time does pass.

We haven’t seen a Super Rugby game since the Brumbies thumped the Waratahs 47-14 on 15 March, the series halted after seven rounds and most teams having completed only six matches.

Amazingly, this weekend we would have been watching the quarterfinals had the competition run its normal course.

Realistically, however, we have to ask how many of our teams would have had a fighting chance to get as far as the playoffs? Maybe only the Sharks and the Stormers.

The Bulls and the Lions had dismal starting runs, with the Bulls recording a single win against the Highlanders, while the Lions also chalked up just one victory against the Reds, leaving them both with five losses from six games.

The Sharks, meanwhile, scored six wins in seven games to lead the log, while the Stormers earned four victories from six starts and held on to seventh place when the competition was paused.

We also have to ask ourselves if the expiry date of Super Rugby has been reached?

It’s almost ironic that the competition had to be suspended in its 25th year, which was meant to be a big milestone considering the organising body Sanzaar was formed in 1996.

But it seems that the Australasian members of Sanzaar have used all their time recently to talk about how this competition would be better-off without SA forming part of the allegiance due to the strain placed on players due to the travelling involved.

Already a lot of players have joined Japanese clubs, where their bodies are not being put on the line weekly like in Super Rugby and have found a means to extend their careers while earning good money.

It therefore seems like common sense for local teams to move north and join the likes of the Pro14 or the European Cup competitions, with a difference of no more than two hours in time zones between SA, England and France.